The 2015 European Individual Championship was held in Jerusalem, Israel over February and March. The event was a giant swiss with 250 participants including 113 grandmasters. Apart from the prizefund of 120,000 Euros, the big drawcard was the 23 qualifying places for the FIDE World Cup later in the year – part of the qualifying cycle for the 2016 World Championship.
Top seeds were GMs David Navara of the Czech Republic and Nikita Vitiugov of Russia, both rated over 2700. But this sort of event can lead to surprising results. In the end it was 37th seed GM Evgeniy Najer or Russia, a player not even in the world top 100, who prevailed. He finished on 8½/11, half a point ahead of Navara, GM Bartel Mateusz (Poland) and GM Denis Khismatullin (Russia) tied for second.
Today's game is from the second round and features Najer with the black pieces against Czech GM Vlastimil Babula.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4
This pawn move signifies the Bayonet Attack against the Orthodox King's Indian. White claims territory on the queenside and threatens to advance c4-c5. Black's response is directed against this plan. 9... a5 10.Ba3 b6 11.bxa5 Rxa5 12.Bb4 Ra8 13.a4 Re8 14.Qb3?!
In a position with many choices, this move appears to be new. But the Black reply immediately takes advantage of the queen's absence from the d-file. 14...c5! 15.Ba3
After the pawn capture Black's pieces get active: 15.dxc6 Nxc6 16.Rfd1 (16.Ba3 Nd4) 16... Nxb4 17.Qxb4 Bf8 with the two bishops. 15...Bh6 16.Bc1!?
This bishop now has so little scope White acquiesces to a bishop exchange normally seen as favourable for Black in the King's Indian. 16...Bxc1 17.Rfxc1 Rf8
Normal King's Indian service resumed: Black prepares a pawn attack on the kingside while holding off White on the queenside. 18.Rcb1 Ra6 19.Nd2 Ne8 20.Nb5 f5!
The thematic King's Indian move at last. 21.f3 Nf6 22.Qc3 g5 23.Ra3 Ng6 24.a5!?
This temporary pawn sacrifice to open the a-file sharpens the battle. The attempt to bolster e4 by 24.Qe3 Nf4 25.Bd3 leaves White without active counterplay. 24... bxa5 25.Rba1 Nf4 26.Bf1 fxe4 27.fxe4 Ng4 28.Rxa5?!
Drawing his pieces away from the defence at the critical moment. After 28.Nf3 or 28.g3 White can defend. 28... Rxa5 29.Qxa5?
Now Black's attack is unstoppable. The only chance was the exchange sacrifice 29.Rxa5!? Ne3! (29... Qf6 30.Nf3 is balanced) 30.Qxe3! Qxa5 though Black retains the advantage after 31.Nxd6 g4! 32.Nb3 Qa2 when his attacking potential outweighs his weak pawns. 29... Qf6 30.Nf3 Ne3! 31.Qc7
A breakthrough on f1 or g2 is inevitable so White tries to exchange queens. E.g. 31.Qd2 Nxf1 32.Rxf1 g4 winning a piece. 31... Nh3+! 32.Kh1 Nf2+ 33.Kg1 Nh3+ 34.Kh1 g4!
Also winning was 34... Ng4! 35.Qxd6 gxf3 36.gxh3
After 36.Qxf6 Rxf6 37.gxh3 f2! the f-pawn is decisive even without queens. E.g. 38.Na7 Rg6! 39.Bg2 Bd7 and wins. 36... Qg5 37.h4
Leading to today's puzzle diagram, which Black solves. 37... Qg2+!
Outsider wins European Championship
Problem: Black to play and mate in 4.
The 2015 European Individual Championship was held in Jerusalem, Israel over February and March. The event was a giant swiss with 250 participants including 113 grandmasters. Apart from the prizefund of 120,000 Euros, the big drawcard was the 23 qualifying places for the FIDE World Cup later in the year – part of the qualifying cycle for the 2016 World Championship.
Top seeds were GMs David Navara of the Czech Republic and Nikita Vitiugov of Russia, both rated over 2700. But this sort of event can lead to surprising results. In the end it was 37th seed GM Evgeniy Najer or Russia, a player not even in the world top 100, who prevailed. He finished on 8½/11, half a point ahead of Navara, GM Bartel Mateusz (Poland) and GM Denis Khismatullin (Russia) tied for second.
Today's game is from the second round and features Najer with the black pieces against Czech GM Vlastimil Babula.
1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 g6
3.Nc3 Bg7
4.e4 d6
5.Nf3 O-O
6.Be2 e5
7.O-O Nc6
8.d5 Ne7
9.b4
This pawn move signifies the Bayonet Attack against the Orthodox King's Indian. White claims territory on the queenside and threatens to advance c4-c5. Black's response is directed against this plan.
9... a5
10.Ba3 b6
11.bxa5 Rxa5
12.Bb4 Ra8
13.a4 Re8
14.Qb3?!
In a position with many choices, this move appears to be new. But the Black reply immediately takes advantage of the queen's absence from the d-file.
14... c5!
15.Ba3
After the pawn capture Black's pieces get active: 15.dxc6 Nxc6 16.Rfd1 (16.Ba3 Nd4) 16... Nxb4 17.Qxb4 Bf8 with the two bishops.
15... Bh6
16.Bc1!?
This bishop now has so little scope White acquiesces to a bishop exchange normally seen as favourable for Black in the King's Indian.
16... Bxc1
17.Rfxc1 Rf8
Normal King's Indian service resumed: Black prepares a pawn attack on the kingside while holding off White on the queenside.
18.Rcb1 Ra6
19.Nd2 Ne8
20.Nb5 f5!
The thematic King's Indian move at last.
21.f3 Nf6
22.Qc3 g5
23.Ra3 Ng6
24.a5!?
This temporary pawn sacrifice to open the a-file sharpens the battle. The attempt to bolster e4 by 24.Qe3 Nf4 25.Bd3 leaves White without active counterplay.
24... bxa5
25.Rba1 Nf4
26.Bf1 fxe4
27.fxe4 Ng4
28.Rxa5?!
Drawing his pieces away from the defence at the critical moment. After 28.Nf3 or 28.g3 White can defend.
28... Rxa5
29.Qxa5?
Now Black's attack is unstoppable. The only chance was the exchange sacrifice 29.Rxa5!? Ne3! (29... Qf6 30.Nf3 is balanced) 30.Qxe3! Qxa5 though Black retains the advantage after 31.Nxd6 g4! 32.Nb3 Qa2 when his attacking potential outweighs his weak pawns.
29... Qf6
30.Nf3 Ne3!
31.Qc7
A breakthrough on f1 or g2 is inevitable so White tries to exchange queens. E.g. 31.Qd2 Nxf1 32.Rxf1 g4 winning a piece.
31... Nh3+!
32.Kh1 Nf2+
33.Kg1 Nh3+
34.Kh1 g4!
Also winning was 34... Ng4!
35.Qxd6 gxf3
36.gxh3
After 36.Qxf6 Rxf6 37.gxh3 f2! the f-pawn is decisive even without queens. E.g. 38.Na7 Rg6! 39.Bg2 Bd7 and wins.
36... Qg5
37.h4
Leading to today's puzzle diagram, which Black solves.
37... Qg2+!
0-1
Solution: 1... Qg2+! 2.Bxg2 fxg2+ 3.Kg1 Rf1 4.Rxf1 gxf1=Q#.